Heaven is a place on earth, and that place is Target. For many shoppers, Target has become the dream shopping destination, a one-stop shop for any and all needs of the modern consumer. According to the Target website, the majority of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Target store, making it accessible for last-minute purchases or late-night shopping adventures (since the store is open until 10 PM).
The layout of the store is universal in most locations, having customers start on a path as they enter and follow it through the store’s many different sections. To senior Hailey Crews, this universal layout increases Target’s appeal. Crews is a frequent Target shopper, estimating that she goes around once a week.
“Every single Target I go to, no matter where I am, is the same. I’ll go to the Target in Eugene and I walk in and feel like I’m back in Portland, because [I think] ‘this is exactly the same layout,’” said Crews. “I really like that, because then I know where everything is, and it feels even more like home.”
The layout is intentionally designed to encourage cross-purchasing. It’s rare to go to Target and only leave with items you need; a phenomenon nicknamed “the Target effect.” This is known as the Gruen Effect to designers and retailers, which I previously explored in my article about IKEA.
Victor Gruen designed the first indoor shopping mall in 1958, basing the concept on the idea that if a consumer feels comfortable, they spend more time in the store and end up spending more money.
Target acknowledges their design choice, and its effect on consumers, on their website, saying, “There’s something special about stepping through Target’s doors — a bright, welcoming space that’s sure to make shopping a breeze, inspiration beckoning from every aisle and the near-certainty that you’ll discover something amazing you didn’t know you needed until that very moment […] No wonder it’s so many guests’ happy place.”
Along with the environment the store presents, another way Target utilizes the Gruen effect is through convenience. Target sells almost everything, ranging from groceries to vinyl records to makeup, and more.
Most Target locations also have a Starbucks inside them. The store works with Starbucks and other well-known brands, like Ulta and Apple, to sell their products in stores and make shopping more convenient. According to their website, they opened more than 200 of these “stores-within-stores” in 2023 alone.
According to Target’s website, these pop-ups are “a powerful way to enhance the shopping experience by giving you convenient access to top brands.”
The atmosphere of the store and its convenience make Target a hotspot for teens.
Freshman Avery Baz enjoys Target because of the atmosphere, which in her eyes, differs from other large retailers. She often sees more people her age there, which makes her feel more comfortable. With her nearest target only a 15-minute drive away, Baz enjoys visiting with her friends.
“They just have everything […] It’s just a fun place to be. It’s not like going to Fred Meyer or Walmart. You can go to Target and just hang out there,” said Baz.
Apart from the convenience Target provides, many members of Gen Z have a sense of brand loyalty to the chain; according to the Forbes article “The Importance Of Brand Loyalty To Commodity Product Or Service Businesses”, brand loyalty often manifests as customers repeatedly purchasing from the same store, despite other stores providing the same products and services, sometimes even for lower prices.
“I could get my makeup at other stores, and that would be better and more convenient because they would have all the things I’m looking for, but I feel better purchasing from [Target]. I don’t know why; it’s just that I would rather buy it from Target,” said Crews.
With nine Targets open in Portland or the surrounding areas, Target is a teenage girl’s dream store. Who wouldn’t want to browse with a 7-dollar Starbucks coffee in hand, eventually leaving with three new shades of nail polish, a cookie decorating kit and 50 dollars less in their bank account?
